


Friend, Lover, Enemy?

by VMorticia



Series: Random Fics I'm Probably Never Going To Finish... [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Gen, If I tagged the ships it would spoil the surprises, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 08:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22847422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VMorticia/pseuds/VMorticia
Summary: Soulmarks speak of a relationship worthy of epic tales. One is uncommon enough. Two are spectacularly rare. Steve Rogers has three.
Series: Random Fics I'm Probably Never Going To Finish... [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563013
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	1. Exposition

**Author's Note:**

> This is my response to reading too many soulmate fics.

\---

"So, Mr Stark," the reporter asked. "What is your opinion on soulmates?"

"Okay, well first of all the word 'soulmate' is a misnomer," Tony answered dismissively, waving his left arm in a way that deliberately drew attention to the leather band he was wearing to hide his soulmark. "The correct term is 'soulbond' or 'soulbound', and there are typically three types," he went on to explain. "The romantic; what people like to call 'soulmates'. The platonic; destined to be your best friend forever... and while this category has been proven to indeed exist it also provided a very convenient excuse for gay or lesbian 'soulmates' to shack up together, back when that sort of thing wasn't socially acceptable. And then we have the rival, probably best described as your arch-nemesis. The rival is often overlooked when people talk about this subject, but I think it's very important to remember it's a possibility." He rubbed his chest, where the arc reactor sat, the recent conflict with Obadiah Stane over whether Tony deserved to live or not still fresh in his mind, as he added darkly. "Even without a soulbond, not recognising an enemy close to you can be dangerous. Studies have shown that a lot of unhappy relationships between bonded pairs result from assuming it's romantic when it isn't. When you try this with a platonic bond it just feels weird and wrong, but try it with a rival and you're gonna end up in a seriously abusive situation."

"They say soulmarks appear the moment fate decides to put you together, even before your own birth in some cases," the reporter continued. "People born with soulmarks often find out their other half had it for years before they were born. What do you think of that?"

"Fate is a nice excuse, isn't it?" Tony said derisively. "Clearly, there's _something_ connecting soulbound pairs, but does it have to be beyond science? Nah, nothing's beyond science, in the end. We'll figure it out eventually. And I get it, you're angling at my mark. Yes I've had it since birth, and no I'm not showing it on the international news, thank you very much."

"Have you any idea who it is?" the reporter asked, likely thinking she was being sly or cunning about the obvious question.

"Yes," Tony nodded firmly "I'm absolutely one hundred percent certain it isn't you."

She laughed it off, but decided to get back on track. "You mentioned scientific study. I hear the new futures branch of Stark Industries is looking into this subject?"

"That we are, yes," Tony nodded. "We've recently confirmed that the location of a soulmark, in the studies we've conducted, is just as relevant as its appearance. A lot of people assume the location is random, but it really isn't. Of course, there are still cases where nobody knows the significance in spite of successful bonding. I'll point to the most famous case of Captain America's red star on his shoulder, known full well to be connected to his best friend Sergeant Barnes, but still nobody has any clue as to its meaning even over half a century later. A clear example of location mattering, however, is this case - the anonymity of which I am determined to take to my grave, or they'll send me there early - of a pair who met in a firefight. Their marks represent their respective weapons and the locations of the first strikes each made on the other... ironically, they're best friends now, not rivals."

"Of course, in many cases, it's easy to tell who a symbol represents," the reporter pointed out. "If we could return to Captain America, for a moment, the recently declassified files on his activities during the war show that his second mark; the blue cube on his chest, was a perfect likeness for the power source used by the Nazi leader Johann Schmidt, also known as the Red Skull. An arch-nemesis if ever we've seen one."

"Not that they proved it one hundred percent," Tony pointed out. "It's almost certainly accurate, though. Yes. Just because you don't stop to have a conversation about soulmarks with someone you're trying to kill doesn't mean you can't spot the enmity a mile away."

The reporter nodded. "Of course, the only way to actually one hundred percent prove the soulbond is to 'activate' the soulmarks, by touch the one that represents you, on your bonded's body."

"Exactly," Tony agreed. "Loads of people nowadays will just start a first date by sharing soulmarks and hoping - a bit crude, if you ask me, but it's been known to work. Although, again, I'll remind everyone listening that just touching the mark won't tell you if you're meant to be romantic, platonic, or rivals. Don't just jump into a serious relationship based on a soulbond, make sure you actually know the other person first. It's also a bit unfair to the unmarked, to be looking for romance on soulmark dating sites when you have no clue if your mark's even romantic in the first place. Saving yourself for a soulmate seems fantastically naive to me."

"Says the greatest playboy of this century."

Tony tipped his head in acknowledgement of this. "I'm rooting for BFF, to be honest," he said, holding up his arm to indicate his own hidden mark. "But I'd not say no to romantic... I'd just be really, _really_ surprised."

"So, to wrap this up with a bit of trivial fun," the reporter offered. "Who are your favourite fictional soulbonds? One for each type, perhaps?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, sure, okay. For rivalry, I've gotta say Doctor Who; their triad of nemeses is a brilliant, if unrealistic concept. Platonic; Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, obviously. And for romantic, I'm gonna go with the Princess Bride."

\---


	2. Ominous Foreshadowing

\---

Fury would really have preferred this information to remain classified.

The science team that had woken Steve Rogers from the ice had unfortunately spread the truth before he could find a diplomatic way to silence them. The red star on Captain America's shoulder was still there.

Soulmarks disappeared when the other half of them died.

This meant that Sergeant Barnes was still alive.

Everyone else was too busy worrying about the blue cube on his chest. That one had never been confirmed, and Fury was currently in possession of the Tesseract (though he also knew that everyone on the team dedicated to working with it was unmarked; S.H.I.E.L.D. hiring policy favoured the unmarked). It could still be someone else. He deliberately chose not to consider the possibility of the Tesseract itself being sentient, because  _ no _ .

The red star, however, could not be mistaken.

Not many people knew or talked about the third soulmark that Steve Rogers had had all his life. A few theories had sprung up in classified circles, but the suggestion that it meant Peggy Carter's romantic interest in him had been debunked by the woman herself, who had said she was unmarked.

As far as Fury could tell, as a child and young man, Rogers had worn fingerless gloves, and nobody'd noticed. As a soldier, the much nicer leather gloves had been part of his armour. Only the still-classified old SSR documents showed the stylised ring of six cut gemstones on the back of his right hand.

As a courtesy, Fury made sure that hand was bandaged when he woke. The other two marks were concealed by the t-shirt he now wore.

As Rogers regained his bearings in the unbugged S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital room, Fury spoke in his carefully most reassuring voice. "They say a soulmark speaks of a relationship worthy of grand stories. Most people are lucky to have one. Epic legends form around those who have two. And you, my friend, have three."

Rogers slowly looked up at him. "Had," he said dully, taking in the room with a frown of confusion.

"You've been asleep, Captain," Fury said bluntly. "For nearly seventy years." Rogers looked directly at him now. Shock written across his face. "And you still have three soulmarks. The  _ same _ three soulmarks."

His mouth fell open at that, and he quickly checked his left shoulder. "But that's-" he sounded truly shaken at the sight of the red star still there. "-that's impossible."

"I know. It should be." Fury nodded. "But this isn't the first impossible thing I've handled, so hopefully you'll allow me to help you."

Rogers frowned at him thoughtfully for a moment, before answering. "Who are you?"

"My name is Nicholas Fury. I'm the Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division; or S.H.I.E.L.D. for short. Our organisation was founded by Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, to help defend against future threats like those you fought against in the war. I'll be honest with you, Captain; I would like to recruit you, and I'm offering to help with your soulbond issue in exchange."

He nodded slowly. "Where do I sign?"

\---

Natasha Romanoff had been assigned to help Steve Rogers adjust to the modern era. It seemed a bit unfair, in her opinion, that everyone knew he had three soulmarks, and what two of those looked like, when it was common practice even nowadays to hide them. Back in Steve's time, a visible soulmark was considered almost indecent.

In solidarity, she showed him the mark on her calf.

It was an arrowhead, and now it has a scar over it as well.

"Appeared when I was ten," she told him. "I did some research, but could never find them. Finally found out who he was when he shot me right there-" she pointed to the scar over the mark. "-with an arrow. Bastard was smug about it too, until I tasered him right back... exactly where his mark was, as it turned out. We're platonic, in case you're wondering."

"I'm used to the scientists knowing my marks," he admitted. "But the whole world? They made romantic movies about this-" he held up his gloved right hand, "-being Peggy? You know, we checked and it's not."

Natasha allowed herself to smile, to show the warmth and amusement she felt at that. "So how're you handling the news?" she asked, referring to the fact the other two marks were still intact.

He shook his head. "I know it probably is true, but we never confirmed the blue mark," he pointed out. "It  _ might _ not be him. I hope it's not. But Bucky... I can't understand how-" He covered his face with his hands. "I never wanted to accept it, I didn't dare look at my shoulder, after he fell. I didn't want to see it gone, so I- I never realised it  _ wasn't _ . I should have looked, I should have gone looking for him."

Natasha frowned thoughtfully. "How long have you had the blue mark?"

"All my life. It was there the day I was born. All three of them were."

Her frown deepened. The timing of a mark didn't really help, she knew. In Steve's time, a lot of people had believed if it was there when you were born the other half was older than you, but modern research had proved that that just wasn't true. "You know that doesn't actually mean they're older than you, right? It just means you've always been destined."

Steve frowned at that thought. Clearly he really hadn't considered it. To be fair, both Barnes and Schmidt had indeed been older than Steve, so it was an easy assumption to follow.

"So for all we know it could be someone who's still young, even now?"

Natasha shrugged. "Only one way to find out for sure."

\---

The dynamics of a soulbond are very interesting.

Secretary Pierce's bonded, for example, was fully of the belief that their relationship was of the platonic best friend variety. Neither of them were expressive men, and neither of them had any other friends to allow so close. Pierce was sure that a true close friendship didn't look like this, even from the outside. They were both far too guarded.

Still, this made it rather easy to mislead, while fully knowing the true nature was rivalry.

That Fury trusted him enough to pass on vital information was frequently amusing.

That Captain America was alive was not news to Pierce. He had seen the evidence clearly on the flesh of his favourite assassin, for years. The white star in the centre of the Asset's chest, just the same place as it sat on the Captain's uniform, had been cut, burned and branded, they had even tried and failed to surgically excise it, but it always came back as the skin healed over again. Eventually, they had just cut their losses, and covered it with a plate of metal to match the arm.

But now, Fury had told him... he had seen the mark on Captain Rogers.

S.H.I.E.L.D. knew... and HYDRA would prepare accordingly.

\---


	3. Lampshading

\---

"You should have left it in the ocean."

Steve wasn't sure how he felt about the Tesseract resurfacing. After all this time, it reappeared so soon after he had, himself. The fact he still had the soulmark that took its form made him even more uncomfortable with the whole thing. A part of him was kind of expecting the Red Skull to jump out at him like the deranged cartoon villain he had always somewhat resembled.

But Steve had agreed to work for Fury, in exchange for help searching for Bucky, and this was his job. Go fight the villain with the Tesseract... again.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had picked up a lead in Stuttgart. Steve and Agent Romanoff had been deployed immediately.

It really could not be a coincidence. World domination speech in Germany? It's like this strange alien invader was doing this on purpose. Romanoff had even told Steve that this  _ Loki _ had access to S.H.I.E.L.D. files, because he had mind-controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel.

And this was the one who had the Tesseract, as well.

Yeah, Steve punched him in the face, without even hesitating. That seemed to be the only good shot he got, as if Loki hadn't expected it at all, and now he knew what Steve was capable of he defended himself accordingly.

And yet, the second the heavy firepower showed up, he surrendered. Just like that.

Too easy.

Far too easy.

\---

When Thor had fought Loki on the Bifrost, he had tried to use their soulbond to reason with him. They were closer than mere brothers, and that clearly could not change. Loki had bitterly observed that while Asgard had not seen its like, there was such a thing on other worlds as a deviant soulbond. A connection that spoke of great hatred rather than love.

Thor denied it... but Loki was adamant, in his madness, to believe the worst.

And then he fell. No, he let go. He chose ignoble death over the animosity he imagined existed between them.

Asgard had known Loki survived, however. Thor saw to it that they knew, even going so far as to bare his soulmark before the sceptical council of elders. It had been there as long as Thor could recall; a dagger, wreathed in green flame, a serpent twined around the blade, over the lower left side of his ribs.

Where Loki had stabbed him, when they had been children.

Loki's match to it was a lightning bolt on his right forearm.

Soulbonds were said to be closer than any blood relation. He had always assumed it was a sign of how great they would become when Thor took the throne and Loki was there at his side, his adviser, his brother, his closest friend. He had never expected nor wanted it to devolve into this bitterness, envy and loathing that he saw in Loki now.

Now that Loki's true heritage and history were known, Odin had told Thor that their marks had appeared the day he brought Loki home; that choice had set them on this path, for good or ill, and the Norns themselves acknowledged it thus.

They had searched for Loki, after that... some like Thor hoping to save him from himself, others hoping to punish him for his mistakes.

Finally, Odin had found him, on Midgard of all places, and Thor was sent to bring him home.

\---

After the Battle of New York was done, Steve grabbed Loki, to haul him to his feet. With one hand he held Loki's right arm, the other to the back of the alien's neck.

That was when he felt it.

He knew what an activated soulbond felt like, having done it once before with Bucky. The rush of warmth where he touched Loki's neck echoed through the mark on Steve's own chest. Startled, he let go of Loki's arm, and pulled his hair aside to reveal the mark there.

Two stripes of colour, side-by-side, one red the other white, running at a diagonal that seemed to disappear up beneath the hairline... looking very much like the stripes of the American flag that as good as made up Steve's armour. It wasn't perfect clean lines, and the colours were slightly muted, but somehow that made it more Steve, rather than just Captain America.

"Something wrong, Cap?" Stark asked.

"Not sure yet," Steve said with a thoughtful frown. The sort of relationship a soulbond spoke of was not a brief thing. It was life-long. As Fury had said, it was the stuff of epic legends. This battle had been major, but it had still been one single battle.

Strangely, Loki wasn't making any move to flee or resist, now. Instead he seemed confused. "What  _ are _ you doing, Captain?" he demanded.

"You're soulbound to me," Steve answered simply, tracing the lines on Loki's neck again, as if it would clarify his point.

Stark laughed. "So  _ that's _ what the mark on your chest meant?! Well, least he's prettier than the other option."

Loki looked at Stark in confusion, now, but it was Thor who asked, "Is it common, on Midgard, to publicly broadcast soulmarks?"

"Not at all," Steve answered. "But I was the subject of a science experiment, so there are photographs. Then everyone thought I was dead, so fair game to discuss I guess."

Meanwhile, Loki, his hands not yet bound, reached up to the mark on his neck. "I had not been aware of this," he said softly. It was easily hidden by his hair and collar, and would have been impossible for him to find on his own.

Many people say that a soulmark is fate's way of telling you you're meant to be together, for one reason or another. Perhaps Loki's mark was intended to be found only in this moment? Just the way Steve had happened to grab him - the only hidden yet exposed skin that could have allowed it?

Clearly Loki's train of thought had gone in a different direction, as he snorted derisively. "So are we to be eternal enemies, then?" he asked, sounding surprisingly unhappy with that suggestion.

"You did kind of try to take over the planet," Stark pointed out bluntly. "Big speech in Germany. Attempted genocide. Definitely points in Cap's enemies book, there."

Loki frowned, seeming to stare at Steve for several seconds, before asking, "May I see?"

Steve gave him a very sceptical look. "You're an unrestrained enemy combatant, and you're asking nicely if I'll take off my armour?"

Thor chuckled at that. "I shall restrain him, if you would prefer?"

Steve glanced at Loki, who actually held his hands out to Thor, wrists together as if expecting shackles to be put on them. It was brisk, efficient, and clearly deliberate deference, which startled Thor. Nonetheless, he quickly bound Loki's wrists, and then Steve began to undo his armour. The other Avengers had the good grace to either cast their eyes to the floor, or watch Loki instead of Steve, in spite of already knowing full well what this soulmark looked like.

Even if they were to be enemies, it was customary, when you find your soulmark on another, to show them their mark on you. Besides, some philosophies theorised that 'enemy' soulmarks were just 'friend' or 'lover' marks that had gone wrong somehow, and that you should always try to find a positive form for it if you could.

Steve would have disagreed with that theory quite vehemently, back when he had thought this mark represented Johann Schmidt. The priest at Steve's local church, before the war, had fervently proclaimed that an enemy soulmark was a sign of the Devil's work in at least one of its two bearers... and he could have believed it of the HYDRA leader.

He wasn't so sure about Loki, though.

He would admit that the very idea of being either friends or lovers with Loki was unlikely at best, downright horrifying at worst... but he would at least try not to be the first to react negatively, now he knew they were bonded.

But he had barely taken off his gloves, when Loki's hands shot out, and seized his right wrist. "What is this?" he demanded sharply. His grip was like a vice, and his strength was astounding even to Steve.

"I have three marks," he answered curtly. He was used to the shocked stares that tended to earn him, and there they were.

Loki's eyes widened almost comically, and even Thor looked taken aback. "Even the greatest heroes of legend rarely have two," Thor murmured, stunned.

"Hey, good to know it works the same on an alien planet," Stark remarked.

"What do you know of this symbol?" Loki demanded, still staring at Steve's hand.

"Uh... nothing," Steve said, shaken now. "I've never even suspected I might have found its match, and I've never seen it anywhere else. Why, do you recognise it?"

"Yes," Loki said distantly. His eyes were wide with an eerie combination of fear and fascination. "I have seen this before." Then suddenly, he looked up at Steve, clearly calculating. His gaze then passed over Barton and Banner. "Cognitive recalibration, isn't that what you called it, Miss Romanoff?" He nodded sharply to Banner. "I believe I owe you my thanks, Doctor Banner."

"Wait, is he seriously gonna cry mind-control, after all the shit he pulled?" Barton demanded, bristling with hostility at the very idea.

"Well, I was planning to remain silent, and avoid the whole situation by allowing Thor to take me away from your insignificant presence," Loki said blithely. "But it seems you mortals are more important than I had at first considered. This-" he tapped the mark on the back of Steve's hand, "-is an omen. If you bear this mark, then perhaps you are stronger than I thought. Most mortals would be of less interest than a spec of dust to the threat this mark foretells. To have a soulbond to it..." He allowed himself to trail off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.

"What does it mean, brother?" Thor asked.

Loki snapped his attention to Thor in an instant, but instead of anger it was confusion. "Do you not know?" he demanded. "We heard the story of it as children. These are the Infinity Stones." He pulled on Steve's arm so that Thor could see the soulmark better, causing Steve to stumble a couple of steps forward, in the process.

Steve had no idea what to make of this. Honestly, he was in some degree of shock, now.

Thor scoffed. "How could a mortal-" he began, but then shook his head. "You are right, that does resemble the symbol of the Stones in the story books. But that is surely all it is, brother? A story?"

"My experience this last year suggests otherwise," Loki hissed coldly, finally letting go of Steve's arm. Then he looked up at Thor sharply. "I will tell you everything, and you may tell the Allfather what you wish, but I will not allow you to take me away from here, now. It seems the Norns wish me to remain."

"The Norns?" Stark asked.

"Norse version of the Fates," Barton answered simply. "I did my homework, after New Mexico."

"There are a  _ lot _ of superstitions about soulmarks," Stark pointed out. "And one of them we haven't proven or disproven yet is the idea that if you try to defy it, 'Fate' will mess you up. Now I don't exactly believe in fate, but there's still a few theories that could explain something like that logically, so yeah."

Thor nodded in agreement, seemingly to all three of these statements, from Stark, Barton, and Loki. "Very well, tell me everything, and then we shall see, Loki."

\---


	4. Shrouded in Myth

\---

Loki watched thoughtfully as Steve showed him the mark on his chest, and after asking permission he did touch it, making their bond complete. But then he said something rather unsettling. "The Tesseract is one of the Infinity Stones. That it marks you twice is... intriguing."

"It's annoying, is what it is," Steve said, under his breath, fastening up his armour again.

"I have read your history," Loki said with a nod. "I suppose I can see why you would feel this way."

"I'm not buying the nice guy act," Barton declared bluntly.

"I don't suppose you would," Loki said, perfectly calm. "I don't particularly care what you think of me. What matters is that Thor, and by extension the Allfather, hears my warning."

"I am listening, and I am sure that Heimdall is also," Thor agreed. "One of us shall tell Father, if he is not also watching."

Loki nodded, and began to tell his side of the story. "After I... departed Asgard, I found myself in an unfamiliar realm. The creatures there served a mysterious master, and when I refused to do their bidding I was imprisoned and tortured. Eventually, I gathered together enough scraps of information to understand their master's goal, and told them I wished to parley; to negotiate for my freedom. He seeks to collect the Infinity Stones, though I do not know what he means to use them for. I do know that he destroys half of every world he conquers, and had I succeeded in leading his army here he would have done the same to Midgard. Whether you believe I served him willingly or not is, honestly, irrelevant. You won. He failed to acquire the Tesseract. He will seek revenge, both on me for failing him, and on your world for escaping his conquest... however, he is far away, and will take perhaps a year or two to travel here through normal means. That is, if he sets out immediately; he has been known to bide his time."

"Collect the Infinity Stones," Thor said, with the tone of one told of a terrible fate far worse than death. "If they are as the old stories say, no two should be allowed near one another, nevermind all six."

"Well that's ominous," Stark muttered darkly. "They're that dangerous, huh?"

"Indeed," Thor said with a sage nod. "The old stories told that each one holds ultimate - literally infinite, hence their name - dominion over one aspect of the universe itself. The Tesseract controls space. The only other one I recall the name of was the Aether, which controls reality. The six together are said to  _ be omnipotence _ . The tale said that if the six ever united without oversight they would end the universe, and if they were wielded by one being they would bend the entire universe to that one being's will. I do not know how much of this is hyperbole, but it still seems a dire enough threat all the same."

Steve stared at the mark on his hand, more than a little shaken by this revelation. "And if my mark is all six together... doesn't that suggest it binds me to someone who would do just that?"

"His name is Thanos," Loki supplied. "You seem the type to hold a certain antipathy for one such as he."

Steve rolled his eyes. "You know, when I was younger, I liked to imagine at least  _ one _ of my marks would be romantic," he complained, with sincere exasperation.

"Aaand... fifty-seven academics just burst into tears," Stark declared out of nowhere. Barton snorted, as if this was an in-joke of some kind. Steve scowled at Stark, having a guess at its meaning... but still sure he was missing several of the pieces of the joke as a whole.

While everyone else was paying attention to Stark's inappropriate sense of humour, Loki shot Steve an evaluating look that genuinely surprised him. As if he would be open to that suggestion.

\---

"I had never suspected Loki to have a second soulmark," Thor admitted. That it was to a mortal was shocking enough, but to find it was one of three marks on that mortal, even more so. He had seen Captain Rogers in a fight, and his estimation of the man was high already, but now... he had no idea what to think of the quiet and thoughtful young warrior.

"Ironic, considering your habit of placing your hand there when you mean to comfort me," Loki grumbled, rubbing his neck where the mark was hidden.

"Second?" Rogers asked, curious.

Thor glanced at Loki, who shrugged. Loki then pulled up his right sleeve to reveal the image of a bolt of lightning on his forearm.

"And you never suspected he was adopted?" Stark asked dubiously. At Thor and Loki's confused expressions, Stark elaborated, "Soulbonds are never close relatives by blood."

"We did not know this on Asgard," Thor admitted. "It is a small population; because it had not happened before did not suggest to us that it could not." Stark shrugged and did not argue. It was impossible to prove such a negative, after all.

Loki quietly covered the mark again.

"So, Brucie," Stark asked. "You're the only person here that I now  _ don't _ know if you have a mark or not."

"I don't," Banner declared simply. "Which is probably for the best, given my... anger issues."

"The Hulk is worthy of epic tales, all on his own," Loki offered.

"I'm going to wilfully interpret that as a compliment, even though I'm sure it wasn't," Banner muttered darkly.

\---

Thor decided to take the sceptre back to Asgard, as evidence to determine if Loki had really been mind-controlled or not. Loki just shrugged and seemed unconcerned, which gave Tony the impression that either he was telling the truth or it would be impossible to prove he was lying. Could go either way.

Tony found Steve alone, a few hours later.

"So, Loki, huh?" he asked. "What do you think?"

"I think he doesn't really want to be my enemy, but I can't see what else he could be," Steve admitted.

Tony shrugged slightly. This was obvious enough. "Hes playing nice, now, that's for sure. Doesn't mean I trust him."

"You okay?" Steve asked, nodding in the vague direction of Tony's left side. Tony hadn't noticed until Steve asked, but he had been fidgeting with the bindings hiding his own mark.

"Jeez, usually I'd tell someone it itched, or something, but you know what they really feel like so I can't, can I?" he admitted, mildly disgusted. No one alive, besides Tony himself, knew what his mark was... and maybe it was better to leave it that way? "I just get edgy when people talk about soulmarks, is all."

"Sorry, I didn't realise-" he caught himself, and asked, "Sounds like you don't really want to know who it is?"

"Oh, I know who it is, I'm just not entirely sure I should tell them."

"Why not?"

"Not sure I'm entirely comfortable knowing what 'represents' me," Tony replied bluntly.

Steve frowned for a moment, but then shrugged. "It's not really like that, though. I doubt the Tesseract 'represents' all that Loki is, it's just significant to how we met."

"Would it be too personal to ask about Barnes?" Tony asked.

Steve shrugged vaguely. "We never figured out what his meant," he admitted. "I guess it doesn't always matter?"

Tony shrugged as well. It was clear that Steve was almost as uncomfortable about this whole conversation as Tony was. "So what're we gonna do about Loki?"

"Fury said that if we can prove it was mind-control, Loki can stay on Earth if he wants..."

"And he really seems to want to," Tony pointed out. "I know a soulbond is a big deal, but it's still a bit creepy how he follows you around, since Thor left."

"It's been two hours."

"Two  _ creepy _ hours."

Steve clearly tried to suppress the laughter at that, and it came out as a weak snort.

"Should I guess that you're straight, if you complained about missing out on a romantic soulbond?" Tony saw the indignance forming on Steve's face at that question, and quickly preempted it. "It's totally okay if you're not, y'know. New century, new social expectations, and all that."

Indignance quickly morphed to surprise, and some confusion. "What? Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, you'll still find a few idiots who don't agree, but they're well known by the greater part of society to be the idiots in the equation."

Another attempt not to laugh, and then Steve finally answered the damned question. "I'm... honestly not sure how I feel, to be honest. I mean, I like women... but sometimes..."

"You swing both ways, huh?"

Steve shrugged one shoulder sheepishly, only slightly nodding, and intensely blushing at that.

"I'm the same," Tony admitted. "Mostly like the ladies, found one or two exceptions in my life. There are a whole other group of idiots who think you have to pick one or the other, but yeah. They're still idiots."

"Feels strange, admitting it," Steve said quietly. "You make it sound like you think it was just... kind of unpopular. But in my time, it could have got me killed to let anyone even guess."

Tony shrugged. "I don't know how space-viking-land feels about it, they could be either like the bad old days, or totally accepting... but I get the feeling if it's the former, Loki's the type to buck the rules."

"Are you..." Steve seemed surprised, "Are you suggesting I-?"

"What did you think I was saying?" Tony asked.

Steve blushed spectacularly. "I thought you- uh, were... trying to chat me up."

"Well if you want me to, I can... but I've been told my pick-up lines are absolutely dreadful," Tony said with a broad and wilfully cheesy grin.

Steve really did laugh, now, not bothering to try to fight it. "I misjudged you, Tony. Back on the helicarrier, the things I said... I'm sorry. You're a good man, and I like you... but maybe your original suggestion is the better idea, here."

"You mean you and Loki? Yeah. I agree. I mean, you are incredibly hot, but I'd rather be your friend than your sugar-daddy... especially since you're technically older than me."

"Sugar... what?"

"It means a rich man who keeps a significantly younger lover in an opulent lifestyle they otherwise couldn't afford."

There was some degree of shock and surprise on Steve's face, now. "Okay, I'm beginning to guess this new social standard you're talking about includes a lot more open discussion on the subject?"

"Yep," Tony grinned, popping the 'p' as he said it. "If you're squeamish about that sort of thing, you should avoid tabloid news outlets like the plague."

"I'm not squeamish," Steve defended, before adding more quietly, "Just not used to this century yet."

"You need any help adjusting, I've spent all of this century in it, and modern technology is kind of my  _ thing _ , so I'm happy to help." He took a deep breath, and then added. "And... I'm sorry for what I said, on the helicarrier, too." He was not good at apologising, but this one seemed important.

Steve nodded, and it was a huge relief to see that apology accepted.

\---


End file.
